Body support



Jan. 12, 219413. a R' 2,308,410

BODY SUPPORT Filed May 2'7, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l E.M.WINTER Wm; I

EJM. WINTER 'BODY SUPPORT Jan. 12, 1943.

Filed May 2'7,- 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F g/l0.

FIG.

E. M.vy| NTIER- .Fan. 12, 1943. E. M. WINTER 2,308,410

BODY SUPPORT Filed May 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm. 4 F8612.

E.M.WINTER Patented Jan. 12, 1943 g UNETED STATES PATENT BODY SUPPORT Ethel M. Winter, Drexel Hill, Pa.

Application May 27, 1939, Serial No. 276,146

12 Claims.

- tion, without the activity of the minds willing to hold the body in such position, so as to secure restful repose.

Otherwise stated, when a human body is in a seated and erect position upon a bench, for example, and without the back and head supported, the activity of the will, through the medium of the afferent nerves and muscles must support the head and body with the muscles under tension, which condition soon causes pain and prevents perfect rest. The purpose of my invention is the provision of means to obviate such dis comfiture and secure restful repose for both body and mind, as far as possible.

The invention objectively considered consists in certain novelties of construction and in the combination of parts as herein illustrated and described and specified in the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one main example and modifications of the embodiment of the invention for the purpos specified, the same being fashioned and the parts combined according to the best modes of procedure I have so far devised for the purpose.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 to 8 illustrate the main embodiment of' the supporting means.

Figure l is a View in side elevation, showing the Way the body is supported in an inclined position.

Figure 2 is a back view of Figure l in elevation.

Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 1 with the occupant removed.

Figure 4 shows a detail of one of the attached coil springs and steel bars for supporting the upholstering at the lumbar region of the back of the occupant.

Figure Sis an enlarged view taken at one corner of the upholstering, showing the coil spring attached to a flexible wire or rod.

Figure 6 shows in side elevation the upholstering or pad for the back removed from the supporting frame.

Figure '7 shows in plan View a sliding removable table or tray supported by the arm rests at the sides of the frame.

Figure 8 is a section of line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 shows. the upholstering for the back springs attached to the frame and to flexible Wires or rods inclosed within pockets at the back of the upholstering or pad portion of the back rest.

Figur 10 is an enlarged detail of the coil spring and flexible wire, the fabric of the pocket for the wire being broken away.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate slight modifications of the main embodiment; Figure 11 showing in dotted lines the seat cushion secured to a cross rod of the frame, and Figure 12 a plan view taken on line IZ--I2 of Figure 11.

Figures 13, 14 illustrate a back support and cushion consisting of a sheet of canvas, Figure 13 being a back elevation, and Figure 14 a vertical section of the canvas and cushion or seat rest.

Referring to Figures 1 to 8the main embodiment, the numeral I designates the side horizontal wooden or metal members of the frame having notches 2 at their upper surfaces, and united by rods 3, 3; 4, 4 are side bars of the back member united by a rod 5 and pivoted at their lower ends by bolts 6, 6 to the horizontal members I, I; braces 1, T united by rod 8 are pivoted to the side bars 4, t and are adapted to engage notches 2 in the members i, l to hold the back members at different angles. Arm rests 9', 9 pivoted by bolts In, which also pass through the braces I, l, are extended rearwardly and pivoted to braces H which themselves are pivoted at their lower ends to the members I, I.

It will be observed that into whatever position the back members or side bars t, i are turned the arms will remain in approximately horizontal positions and parallel to members i.

The united parts designated l to I! constitute what may be termed the frame of the body support.

The back upholstering or padded portion 12, preferably in pad construction, with a soft filling material, is yieldingly supported between the side bars 4, 4 by coil springs 13 which elongate under tension. These coil springs are attached at one end to eyes l4 screwed into the wood of the side bars 4, 4, and at their opposite ends secured to flexible wires or rods 15 disposed in vertical pockets l5 sewed to th fabric of the back upholstering (as shown by Figures 2, 5, 9 and 10), the number of springs used depending upon the degree of yielding desired.

The lower portion of the upholstering which is to support the lumbar regions of the back is provided with flexible steel bars I? in pockets H8 at the back surface of the upholstering, to the supported at each side by a plurality of coil ends of which the coil springs I3 are attached.

The use of coil springs under tension is desirable,

- as the recoil of a coiled spring under tension is slower than recoil of the same spring under compression.

In this embodiment (see Figure 6) a cushion i9 is attached to the lower edge of upholstering l2, and preferably the top surface thereof should slant from front to rear to counteract the tendency of the body to slide forwardly under the action of gravity. Another function of the attached cushion is to prevent the rearward movement of the frame under the Weight of the body.

Instead of the cushion being attached to the back upholstering, the same may be secured to the front rod 3 of the frame, as shown by Figures 11 and 12, and serves the sam purpose.

As shown by Figures 2, 3 and 6, a pad 20 for the head is provided and preferably detachably secured to the rod 5 of the frame by tapes 30, 39 so it may be reversed and also removable for cleaning; and a pad 2| preferably permanently attached to the back upholstering l2, as shown by Figures 1, 3, 6 and 11, is added to the combination to more completely attain the purpose of the inventor.

When the frame is relatively narrow and the supported body in a vertical position, and there is liability of the entire frame to tip sideways, means projecting from the base members i, I, may be provided as a thin board 22 (see Figures 1, 2 and 3) to prevent such tipping.

I have also shown a tray or table in Figures 8 and 9 provided with cleats 23 adapted for sliding engagement with and to be supported by the arms 9, 9, as is obvious from the figures.

Another modification of the application of the principle of my invention is illustrated by Figures 13 and 14. In this example a single strip of canvas 24 is secured at the top edge to the rod 5 at the top of the side bars 4, 4 and extended downwardly and forwardly, then rearwardly to form a back rest and a seat cushion. Means such as coil springs and flexible steel bars, as shown in other figures described are present and indicated, for supporting the lumbar regions of the back.

From the foregoing description and drawings disclosing the several embodiments of the invention it is clear that I have provided efficient means for securing the ends set forth in the preamble as the purpose of the invention.

Obviously, parts of the elements described herein may in practice be discarded, such as the detachable tray or table, the means for preventing the sideways tipping of the frame, and the arm rests, and some other parts used; also substitutes may be used to replace some of the elements and modifications introduced, without substantial departure from the principle of the invention,

What I claim is:

1. The combination in a body support, of a frame comprising horizontally disposed base members, means for holding the base members spaced apart and parallel, side bars pivoted at their lower ends to the base members, means at the top ends of the side bars to hold them parallel, adjustable means for holding the side bars in different oblique positions relative to the base members, thus providing adjustable side bars with an open space between them, yieldable flexible material located and supported within said open space, and yieldable spring means uniting said side bars adjacent to and above their pivotal ends and located at the back of the yieldable material for supporting the lumbar regions of the body.

2. The subject-matter of claim 1 wherein the yieldable spring means for supporting the lumbar regions of the body consists of a bar with the ends connected to the pivotal side bars by coiled springs.

3. The subject-matter of claim 1 wherein the yieldable spring means for supporting the lumbar regions of the body consists of bars of flexible material located in pockets at the back surface of the yieldable flexible material and with the ends united to the side bars by coiled springs.

4. The subject-matter of claim 1 wherein a cushion is provided at the front of the frame with its rear edge attached to the frame, whereby the frame is held against rearward movement by the weight of the occupant of the support.

5. The combination in a body support, of a frame comprising horizontally disposed base members, means for holding them spread apart and parallel, side bars pivoted at their lower ends to the base members, means at the top ends of the side bars to hold them parallel, adjustable means for holding the side bars in different oblique positions, thus providing adjustable side bars with an open space between them; flexible yielding textile material located and suspended between the side bars, yieldable spring means uniting the side bars adjacent their pivotal ends and located back of the flexible material for supporting the lumbar regions of the body, and a pad secured to the flexible material at the front surface thereof opposite to and in line with the aforesaid spring means.

6. The subject-matter of claim 5 wherein a detachable cushion is secured to the frame in front thereof and a detachable head rest is secured to the means uniting the top ends of the side bars.

7. The combination in a body support, of a frame comprising horizontally disposed base members, means for uniting and holding them spaced apart and parallel, side bars pivoted at their lower ends to the base members, means at the top ends of the bars for uniting them and holding them parallel, adjustable means for holding the bars in different oblique positions relative to the base members, thus providing an open space between the side bars, and a flexible pad suspended between the side bars by coiled springs, one end of each spring secured to a side bar and the opposite end secured to a bar or rod located in a pocket at the back of the said ad.

8. The combination in a body support, of a frame comprising horizontally disposed base members, means for uniting and holding them spaced apart and parallel, side bars pivoted at their lower ends to the base members, means at the top ends of the bars for uniting them and holding them parallel, adjustable means for holding the bars in different oblique positions relative to the base members, thus providing an open space between the side bars, a flexible pad suspended between the side bars by coiled springs, and a pad secured at its upper edge to the aforementioned pad adapted to engage and support the lumbar regions of the occupants back.

9. The subject-matter of claim 8 wherein a cushion is attached at its rear edge to the said lower edge of the said spring suspended pad.

10. A frame for a body support comprising base members horizontally disposed, means for uniting them spaced apart and parallel, side bars pivoted at their lower ends to the said base memcleats at its under surface which overlaps the edges of the arms, whereby the table as well as the arms are held in a horizontal position.

12. The subject-matter of claim 10 wherein the said base members have attached to and extended outwardly at the sides thereof, means, as a thin board, to prevent the sidewise tipping of the frame.

ETHEL M. WINTER. 

